Prior art direction services supply to a traveler automatically developed step-by-step directions for travel from a starting point to a destination. Typically these directions are a series of steps which detail, for the entire route, a) the particular series of streets or highways to be traveled, b) the nature and location of the entrances and exits to/from the streets and highways, e.g., turns to be made and exits to be taken, and c) optionally, travel distances and landmarks. In the context of this application, "automatically" means without human involvement in the development of the directions once the starting point, destination and any desired characteristics of the route, e.g., scenic, shortest or quickest, are known.